HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (09-15-11)

Cameron Diaz and Alex Rodriguez May Have Broken Up:

"Us Weekly" says that CAMERON DIAZ and ALEX RODRIGUEZ have broken up in order to focus on their respective careers. --A source says, quote, "She's very busy with her career. And he's had injuries and wants to focus on his game. They're dedicated professionals. --"[But] they're still very friendly and like each other. He has an enormous amount of respect for her."


Kristie Alley Has Lost 100 Pounds . . . And She's Ready for Some Meaningless Sex:

KIRSTIE ALLEY is building on the weight loss success she had on "Dancing With the Stars". Kirstie has lost 100 pounds since her recent stint on the show. --She says, quote, "I feel like I'm back in my element. I honestly didn't even realize what I looked like." --Now that she's gone from a size 14 to a size 4, she's ready for some MEANINGLESS SEX . . . quote, "This is what I think about sex: I think it's fun to hookup every night for six months . . . Then it's time to move on!"


Lady Gaga Stole Her Boyfriend From Another Woman:

LADY GAGA has been nailing actor TAYLOR KINNEY . . . the guy in her "You & I" video. And now the "Star" tabloid claims she stole him from another woman. --A source says, quote, "Kinney said he told Gaga he had a girlfriend. He never tried to hide it, but Gaga didn't care." --And how did Kinney's girlfriend find out he was cheating on her? She got a POCKET DIAL from him, and heard them making out.


A New Book Says Sarah Palin Loved Cocaine and Black Guys:

We all know that SARAH PALIN loves snowmobiling and the Constitution. But she has other loves . . . like COCAINE AND BLACK GUYS. --That's according to a new expose on Sarah called "The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin". It was written by Joe McGinniss and it comes out next Tuesday. --The book claims that Sarah had a taboo interracial one-nighter with basketball star GLEN RICE in 1987, just nine months before she married her husband TODD. --It happened when Rice was still at the University of Michigan, and in Alaska for a B-ball tournament. Sarah was working as a sports reporter for a local TV station. --A source says Sarah had a FETISH for black men, and she, quote, "hauled Rice's ass down." Another source says, quote, "I remember Sarah feeling pretty good that she'd been with a black basketball star." --But the author says that for some reason, Sarah grew, quote, "horrified" about having slept with a black man. --Glen reportedly CONFIRMS the affair in the book. -Another source says Todd was very much in the picture at the time. (--Which makes sense if they got married nine months later.) --But that wouldn't be the last time Sarah (allegedly) cheated. After she and Todd were married, the book says she had a six-month affair with his business partner, Brad Hanson. This resulted in the end of their snowmobile dealership. --As for the cocaine use . . . well, that's something Sarah and Todd were able to enjoy together. The book says they were both doing it . . . at least before Sarah became governor. --On one occasion, she was supposedly seen snorting lines off an overturned 55-gallon oil drum while snowmobiling with friends. --You may have heard about this book before. This Joe McGinniss guy is a longtime political author. And a few years ago, he caused some controversy by renting a house next door to the Palins in Alaska.


Showbiz Photo of the Day: Sean Penn's Assistant Injured Her Elbow in the Shower . . . And Sean Cried About It:

SEAN PENN is an intensely emotional guy . . . but this might be taking things a little too far . . . --Sean's assistant was taking a shower at his Malibu home yesterday when she fell and injured her elbow. So Sean and his girlfriend, Shannon Costello, wrapped her up in a towel and rushed her to a nearby urgent care facility. --As they were sitting outside waiting for her to be treated, Sean actually CRIED. And Shannon looked pretty distraught, too. (--Here's a picture of a DEVASTATED Sean Penn and his girlfriend . . . plus one of the assistant and her jacked-up elbow.) (TMZ)


Charlie Sheen Is Sober . . . And Now He Realizes that the Whole "Tiger Blood" Thing Was Silly:

Now that CHARLIE SHEEN is sober, he realizes that some of the things he did during his MANIC phase earlier this year were a little silly. --In an interview airing on the "Today" show tomorrow, Charlie tells MATT LAUER, quote, "Looking back on it, I don't think I would trade it, but there are portions of it I would have amended a little bit. --"I don't know, the tiger blood [thing], it was so silly and people took it so seriously and I figured, alright, I'll continue to give the people what they want, you know?" --Charlie also admitted that the whole thing took on a life of its own . . . quote, "I don't really know what happened. It was one of those things where the planets were aligned, perfectly or imperfectly. --"I said some stuff and then it caught such traction globally and instantly that I couldn't really put out the fire. From one moment to the next, I didn't know what was going to happen. It was pretty exciting." --Charlie tells Lauer that he's "absolutely" sober . . . but doesn't know how long he's been clean . . . quote, "I don't really keep track of the time. It's been awhile." --But it's definitely made a difference. He says he's, quote, "a lot calmer . . . a lot mellower." --Sobriety is also helping his relationships with ex-wives DENISE RICHARDS and BROOKE MUELLER. He says, quote, "I'm seeing my kids a lot more, mending fences with Denise and Brooke, just trying to move forward and prioritize what matters." (--Meanwhile, JON CRYER was on "Ellen" yesterday, where he admitted that he thought Charlie was going to DIE. Here's a clip.)


25 Things You Don't Know About . . . Olivia Munn:

The very sexy OLIVIA MUNN . . . in theaters tomorrow in "I Don't Know How She Does It" . . . is the subject of "Us Weekly's" latest "25 Things You Don't Know About Me". Here are the highlights . . .

--I love "day drinks" . . . special drinks to make hard days better and good days awesome.

--I'm half Chinese, but I was born in Oklahoma and raised in Japan.

--If I weren't an actress, I'd be a molecular biologist astronaut because I love when people answer that question with a crazy-hard profession as if it were a real possibility, hoping you'll think they're smart.

--I've never smoked a cigarette.

--I competed in the World Championship Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament in Toronto.

--I'm designing a Narnia wardrobe in my house.

--I can beatbox.

--I just got my motorcycle license but I haven't ridden yet. I'm not scared; it's just really fun to sit on it in my garage, that's all.

(--Check out the complete list here.)


NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND - 1 of 2

Christina Hendricks Has Supporting Roles in Two New Movies This Weekend . . . "Drive" and "I Don't Know How She Does It":

#1.) "Straw Dogs" (R)

James Marsden plays a quiet guy who's pushed to his limit after he moves to the South with his hot wife. Her ex-boyfriend starts harassing them right away, and things get a lot more intense when a group of locals trap the two of them in their house. --It's a remake of a 1971 movie that starred Dustin Hoffman in the James Marsden role. In this one, the wife is played by Kate Bosworth, and Alexander Skarsgard from "True Blood" plays her ex. (--Here's the trailer for the remake. And you'll find the trailer for the original here.)

#2.) "Drive" (R)

Ryan Gosling plays a Hollywood stunt driver who makes a quick buck as a getaway driver . . . and discovers that a hit was put on him after a heist goes wrong. Carey Mulligan plays his love interest and Albert Brooks is the mobster who's after them --Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman and Bryan Cranston are all in it too. (Trailer)

#3.) "I Don't Know How She Does It" (PG-13)

Sarah Jessica Parker plays a working mom juggling a high stress job with the strain of losing time with her kids. Greg Kinnear is her unemployed husband, Kelsey Grammer plays her boss, and Pierce Brosnan is a guy who takes an interest in her at work. --Christina Hendricks,"SNL's" Seth Meyers, and Olivia Munn are in it too. (Trailer)
#4.) "The Lion King (in 3D)" (G)

This is the first time the movie's been shown in 3D and it will only be in theaters for two weeks. The original came out in 1994 and had two sequels, "Simba's Pride" and "Lion King 1½". (Trailer)


Steven Spielberg Regrets Making Changes to "E.T.":

When "E.T." was re-released in 2002 to commemorate its 20th anniversary, the movie that hit theaters was NOT the same one that thrilled moviegoers in 1982. --That's because STEVEN SPIELBERG made CHANGES to it . . . like improving some special effects and digitally altering supposedly offensive material . . . like a kid calling his brother "penis breath", and federal agents wielding guns. --Fans did NOT like the changes . . . the same way "Star Wars" fans cry out every time GEORGE LUCAS messes with those flicks. --Well, Spielberg was asked about the "Star Wars" controversy recently, and he admitted that he regrets changing "E.T." --He said, quote, "Speaking for myself, you know, I tried this once and I lived to regret it. Not because of fan outrage, but simply because I was disappointed in myself. --"I was overly sensitive to some of the criticism 'E.T.' got from parent groups when it was first released in '82 having to do with Elliott saying "penis breath" or the guns. --"And then there were certain brilliant but rough-around-the-edges close ups of E.T. that I always felt, if technology ever evolves to the point where I can do some facial enhancement for E.T. I'd like to. --"I realized that what I had done was I had robbed the people who loved 'E.T.' of their memories of 'E.T.' And I regretted that."


Check Out a Trailer for the New Matt Damon / Scarlett Johansson Movie, "We Bought a Zoo":

When SCARLETT JOHANSSON isn't snapping nude pictures of herself on her cell phone, she makes movies. Her latest is called "We Bought a Zoo". --It stars MATT DAMON as a single dad who . . . well . . . buys a zoo, and has to run it with his kids. He also, we assume, gets to nail Scarlett in the process. --Believe it or not, it's based on a true story . . . although it happened in England. (--There's a book about it. You can learn more here.) (--The movie comes out December 23rd. Check out the trailer here.)


Tareq Salahi Thought His Wife Had Been Kidnapped . . . But It Turned Out She'd Just Run Off With Journey Guitarist Neal Schon:

Remember the Salahis? They're the couple that infamously crashed a White House event in 2009, and were later cast on "The Real Housewives of D.C.". --Well, yesterday TAREQ SALAHI reported his wife MICHAELE missing . . . and believed that she'd been kidnapped because he got a suspicious phone call from her the night before. It was made from a cell phone number he didn't recognize. --She'd told him that she had a hair appointment, and was going to visit her mother. But when Tareq checked up on that, he realized she didn't do either of those things. So, he called the police. --At first, everyone thought this could be a publicity stunt. But later in the day, Michaele's whereabouts were discovered. And as it turned out, she hadn't been abducted . . . she'd run off with JOURNEY guitarist NEAL SCHON. --Michaele and Neal reportedly dated back in the day. --Meanwhile, a rep for Journey did confirm that Michaele is hanging out with Neal . . . quote, "Nobody kidnapped her and they are in Memphis together." --Journey played a show in Memphis last night. Michaele was also at their show in Nashville on Tuesday night . . . when she fed that line to her husband about visiting her mother. --Technically, it's unclear if Michaele left her husband to actually have an affair with Neal, but considering the bizarre circumstances, that's not an outlandish implication. --For what it's worth, Neal is divorced . . . and as far as we know he's "available" . . . more available than Michaele is at least. --There is another possibility though. Maybe Michaele and Tareq were having problems, and she fled the house to be with Neal . . . as a FRIEND. --Here's what the authorities had to say after tracking Michaele down: Quote, "She seemed calm . . . and assured the deputy that she had left the residence with a good friend and was where she wanted to be. --"Mrs. Salahi advised that she did not want Mr. Salahi to know where she was . . . [and said she was] very sorry [that the police were involved but] she did not want to be home right now." --That being said, Tareq didn't hint at any problems when he tearfully pleaded for someone to help him find his wife. (--Here's video of that. And here's a picture and video of Neal hanging out at the Salahis' winery last fall.) --Tareq has yet to say anything about Michaele being with Neal.
Cher Says America Shouldn't Be "Terrified" of Chaz Bono Because He's Transgender . . . But We Can Be Scared of His Dancing:

CHAZ BONO was on "Ellen" yesterday . . . and CHER called in to offer up some support for his upcoming run on "Dancing with the Stars", and to take another shot at the haters who don't want him on the show. --Here's what Cher had to say to them . . . quote, "If you've got that excess time and that amount of hostility, I'm not so sure I can say anything to you that would make you change your feelings." --She sarcastically added, quote, "I don't know that I would have any magic words to make you feel more comfortable and to soothe you into not being terrified of my child dancing on 'Dancing with the [Effing] Stars'." --Chaz and his partner LACEY SCHWIMMER will be dancing the Cha Cha on the premiere next Monday . . . and he told Ellen it's coming along "pretty good," but he adds that the Quick Step gives him "nightmares." --Even Cher seemed to have trouble imagining that. --She said, quote, "I got to tell you something . . . you doing this dance is about as scary as you making the 'change.'" (--Meaning the sex change, of course.) (--Here's video of Cher calling into the show. Cher's message to the haters happens just after the 2:25 mark. And here's a video of Ellen giving her take on the Chaz "controversy.")


The Five Songs Simon Cowell Never Wants to Hear at an Audition:

SIMON COWELL has sat through a lot of bad auditions. And a lot of them start out with POOR SONG CHOICE.

--If you plan on auditioning for Simon someday on "X Factor", Simon has a list of five songs he does NOT want you to sing.

--Here they are:


--R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"


--Etta James' "At Last" . . . Simon says, quote, "I'm allergic to it."


--The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" . . . Simon says, quote, "Whoever said that was my favorite song was joking."


--Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours"


--John Legend's "Ordinary People" . . . Simon says, quote, "It's never as good as the original."


Watch This Hilariously Bad Footage from "The Ringer":

SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR'S new show "Ringer" premiered on Tuesday night . . . and regardless of whether or not it's any good, you have to see this video. --It's a scene that takes place on a speedboat. --Since this show is on the CW, it's not surprising that they didn't have the budget to shoot the close-up stuff ON an actual boat. --So they apparently opted to do a "green screen" shot with a boat in a studio . . . with the background being added in later. --But the effect was HORRIBLE . . . and it looked like something out of the '60s, like "Gilligan's Island". (--Check it out, here.)


Thursday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)


--"The Vampire Diaries" [3rd Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on the CW.


--"Wipeout" [4th Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC.


--"The Secret Circle" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on the CW. (--A 16-year-old girl moves to live with her grandmother after the death of her parents and learns that she is descended from a line of Salem witches.)


--"Angels Among Us" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on CMT. (--Survivors of the September 11th attacks share their experiences in this new series about divine intervention.)


--"Project Runway" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Lifetime. (--Malin Akerman is the guest judge.)


--"It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" [7th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on FX.


--"LA Ink" [SERIES Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC.


--"Archer" [3rd Season Premiere] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on FX.


Amy Winehouse's Duet with Tony Bennett Has Been Released:

"Body and Soul" . . . AMY WINEHOUSE'S duet with TONY BENNETT . . . was released yesterday, on what would have been her 28th birthday. --"Body and Soul" was recorded a few months before Amy was found dead in July . . . so it's one of the last songs she recorded, if not THE last one. (--There's also a video featuring Tony and Amy in the studio. You can check it out, here.) --The song is available on iTunes . . . and the proceeds are going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which was set up by her family. --The foundation's website also has a video of Amy talking about recording the song. She jokes, quote, "The first time I met Tone . . . can I call him Tone? Thanks . . . [but] should you ask him first, really, before you start?" (--The saddest thing about this is: Amy looks and sounds great. Far from someone that was about to die within a few months.)


Rock Stars' Most Iconic Accessories:

Spinner.com has thrown together a list of the most ICONIC rock star accessories. Here's a rundown of their selections:


--John Lennon's glasses

--James Brown's capes

--Madonna's cone bra

--Slash's top hat

--Bono's shades

--Stevie Nicks' shawls

--Jimi Hendrix's headbands

--Devo's "energy domes"

--Gwen Stefani's bindi . . . that's the dot on the forehead, between the eyes, that's common among Hindus in Southeast Asia.

--Red Hot Chili Peppers' socks . . . specifically, the ones they wore over their genitals.

--Elvis Costello's, Buddy Holly's, Rivers Cuomo's and Lisa Loeb's nerdy eye glasses

--Keith Richards' skull ring

--KISS' platform boots

--Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes' condom glasses

--David Byrne's shoulder pads

--"Little Steven" Van Zandt's bandanas

--Karen O's "seeing hand" headdress, which she wore throughout the Yeah Yeah Yeah's tour for "It's Blitz".

(--You can see pictures of all these things, here. )


Adele, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and Rihanna Have Scored New Spots in the 2012 "Guinness Book of World Records":

ADELE, JUSTIN BIEBER, LADY GAGA and RIHANNA are among the artists who earned new spots in the 2012 edition of the "Guinness Book of World Records".

--Here's a quick rundown of a few of the music-related records set in the past year: --Adele earned three BRITISH records. --She was the first female to have two singles and two albums in the U.K. top five simultaneously, which only the Beatles had achieved before in 1963. --Her latest album, "21", became the first album in U.K. chart history to sell 3 million copies in one calendar year. -And she had the most consecutive weeks with the #1 album in the U.K. for a solo female. She had an 11-week streak. --In the U.S., Lady Gaga set a new record for most weeks on the Digital Hot Songs chart . . . with 83. --She also earned the distinction . . . temporarily, at least . . . of "Most Followers on Twitter". She had over 11.2 million followers at the cut-off date of June 29th. She now has nearly 13.5 million followers. --"Guinness" also named Justin Bieber's "Baby" video the "Most Popular Video of Any Kind Online." It had 463,820,304 views as of February 16th of this year. --There's no word why that cut-off date was chosen, but again it's already significantly out of date. The video now has over 622 million views on Justin's YouTube channel alone.) -The Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" has become the Biggest Selling Download in the U.K. It's the first-ever track to go over 1 million downloads in England. --Rihanna became the first female to have #1 singles in the U.K. for five consecutive years, from 2007 to 2011. Only Elvis and the Beatles have had more in consecutive years. --Willow Smith is now "The Youngest Transatlantic Top 20 Artist." "Whip My Hair" hit the Top 20 when she was only 10 years old. (--And we're assuming that means she cracked the Top 20 in both the U.S. and the U.K.) --Lil Wayne is now the proud owner of this weirdly specific record: Most U.S. Hot 100 Hits by a Rap Artist between 1999 and 2010. He had 64. --We already knew this one: U2 got a mention for having the Highest Grossing Music Tour. Their 360 Tour just wrapped its two-year run in July.


Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter IV" Tops the "Billboard" Chart for a Second Week . . . and The Beatles Hit #4:


LIL WAYNE'S "Tha Carter IV" sold another 219,000 copies to hold onto the #1 spot for a second week. The week's highest debut came from GEORGE STRAIT. His album "Here For a Good Time" sold 91,000 copies to come in 3rd place. --Meanwhile, THE BEATLES shot all the way up to #4 after their compilation album "1" was released in the iTunes Store last week. It sold 60,000 digital copies.


1.) "Tha Carter IV", Lil Wayne (219,000 copies)

2.) "21", Adele (121,000 copies)

3.) (NEW) "Here For a Good Time", George Strait (91,000 copies)

THURSDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS


Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


Jazz singer LANDAU EUGENE MURPHY, JR. won "America's Got Talent" last night. (Full Story)


RACHEL REILLY won "Big Brother" . . . and the $500,000 prize that goes with it. (Full Story)



SAMANTHA RONSON is NOT engaged. (Full Story)



KIM KARDASHIAN found someone's cell phone in a taxi . . . and actually went out of her way to find the owner. Why? She says, quote, "I would die without my phone." (Full Story)



"American Idol" contestant PIA TOSCANO and "Dancing With the Stars" pro MARK BALLAS have broken up. (Full Story)



You know how all those "Real Housewives" skanks keep trying to release songs? Well, so far the most successful one has been KIM ZOLCIAK'S "Tardy for the Party". The least successful is "Bump It" by MICHAELE SALAHI. How do the rest stack up? (Full Story)



Former WWE rassler MATT HARDY just got his second DUI in the last few weeks. (Full Story)



VINNY GUADAGNINO from "Jersey Shore" will appear on "90210" in November. He will NOT be playing himself. (Full Story)



The 9th season "Family Guy" DVD set includes a 22-minute special called "The History of the World According to Family Guy". (--Check out a preview clip here.)



BOYZ II MEN will be on JUSTIN BIEBER'S Christmas album. (Full Story)



DAVE MUSTAINE from MEGADETH needs neck surgery. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF

A Mother is Arrested for Helping Her Daughter Fight a 12-Year-Old Bully . . . She Says She Had to Step In Because the School Wouldn't:

There's a really interesting dilemma here. On one hand, an adult woman and mother should not beat up a 12-year-old, or encourage her own daughter to fight. --On the other hand, if the school isn't protecting your child . . . you might not be able to stop your instincts to protect your child at all costs. --32-year-old Daphne Melin of Shirley, on Long Island, New York, was arrested on Sunday after she ENCOURAGED her 12-year-old daughter to fight another 12-year-old girl who was bullying her . . . and then JUMPED IN the fight. --After Daphne's daughter and the other girl had been fighting for several minutes, Daphne allegedly spit in the girl's face, grabbed her hair, and kneed her in the head. --Video and photos quickly surfaced online, and Daphne was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and attempted assault. --When Daphne was pressed by reporters, her response was VERY interesting. --She told them the other girl had been cyberbullying her daughter on Facebook . . . and the school wasn't doing ANYTHING about it . . . so finally, she decided she had to take things into her own hands. (NBC 4 - New York) (--Here's a news report on the fight, including some footage showing the girls . . . but not Daphne's involvement.)


Men and Women React Differently to Being Cheated On . . . Here are the Types of Questions They Ask:

According to a new study by the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, there's a big difference in the way that men and women react when they find out someone is cheating on them. --They're both FURIOUS and feel like their world is collapsing . . . that's universal. But their reason for being furious is different. --Women mainly worry their husband has fallen in LOVE with another woman . . . men mainly worry about all of the nasty sexual things some other dude did to their wife. --The study found when a woman finds out she's been cheated on, 71% of her questions focus on the emotional side of the affair and 29% focus on the sex. For men, 57% of questions are about the sex, 43% are about emotions. --The researchers behind the study say this is basic evolutionary biology. --Men are wired to worry about providing for and raising a child that's not theirs. So when their wife cheats, their main concern is she's been knocked up by the other guy. --Women are wired to worry about having a man stick with them. So when their husband cheats, their main concern is he's now devoted to another woman and will abandon his family. (MSNBC)


(NC-17) An Orthodox Jew Creates a "Kosher" Love Toys Online Store . . . Where You Buy Your Toys Without Seeing Anything Naughty:

Sometimes it's hard to remember that some people AVOID looking at porno online. I mean . . . I try to avoid looking at anything BUT porn when I'm using the computer. --One person who doesn't want to see it is a 25-year-old man from Lakewood, New Jersey. He's only identifying himself by his middle name, Gavriel. And he's an Orthodox Jew. --He doesn't want to be exposed to pornographic or sexually explicit images . . . and that's a problem for him and his wife when they try to buy LOVE TOYS online. Because while using marital aides is all good with God . . . pornography isn't. --Gavriel says, quote, "There's nothing wrong with using a vibrator. It's just a pain in the neck for an Orthodox Jew to find one. Even going to Amazon . . . there are pictures we have no interest in seeing." --So he's started a new online store . . . called KosherSexToys.net. At his site you can buy love toys, quote, "without involving crude or indecent pictures or text." --The toys will also be shipped to you without any explicit packaging or accompanying materials. --Even though Orthodox Jews can use sex toys, it's still not exactly proper conversation for the synagogue . . . so Gavriel is only using his middle name because he's afraid that running the site would hurt his reputation in the community. --One final thing: He says that, so far, his best-selling item has been FURRY HANDCUFFS. (???) (Haaretz)


A Jewish Professor is Being Accused of Anti-Semitism . . . Because One of His Students Wasn't Paying Attention to His Lecture:

In today's culture of oversensitivity and political correctness, even JEWS can be accused of ANTI-SEMITISM. --Sarah Grunfeld is a 22-year old senior at York College in Toronto. On Monday, Sarah showed up for the first day of her Social Sciences class. The teacher is Cameron Johnston . . . who is also Jewish. --In his opening lecture, Cameron told the class that even though we have freedom of speech, some opinions are unacceptable. He then said that "All Jews should be sterilized" is an example of a dangerous, unacceptable opinion. --When Sarah heard that, she stormed out of the classroom and contacted the president of the campus' Israel advocacy group. They sent out a press release calling for Cameron to be fired immediately. --Cameron is trying to explain that they're missing the point . . . he told the class that was an actual opinion that the Nazis put into action, explaining that Nazi scientists experimented with mass sterilization in concentration camps. --But Sarah had already stormed out by then. When someone explained to Sarah what the professor meant, she didn't apologize. Instead, she DOUBLED DOWN --She told a reporter, quote, "The words still came out of his mouth." She also questioned whether he was really Jewish. She said, quote, "Whether he is or not, no one will know." (Toronto Star)


Two Out of Three Adults Plan to Dress Up For Halloween . . . and Will Spend 61 Days Planning Their Costumes:

It doesn't matter HOW bad the economy is . . . people in this country are NOT going to let it ruin Halloween. --According to a new survey, two out of three adults plan to wear a costume this Halloween. Nine out of ten that are dressing up plan to buy a new costume this year, instead of reusing an old one. --87% of kids are dressing up for Halloween, and 93% of the ones that are say they want a new costume too. --The average adult spends 61 days planning and putting together their costume. One in eight begin planning a YEAR in advance.
--Adults are so serious about Halloween that they plan to spend more on their costume than on their kid's. They'll spend $52 on their own costume, but just $32 per child. --Pet owners plan to spend $59 on a Halloween costume for their dog or cat. That's seven dollars more than they're spending on themselves, and $25 more than they're spending on their kid. (PR Newswire)


More Than Half of Adults Think a Ten-Minute Outdoor Recess at Work Would Be a Good Idea:

If you got to run around outside for a few minutes every day, maybe swing on some monkey bars or throw around a football . . . would it make you a better worker? --An outdoor footwear company called KEEN surveyed full-time American workers to find ways they could improve productivity. The answer: Recess. --53% of the workers surveyed thought that taking a 10-minute outdoor recess each day would make them happier, healthier and more productive. --Two in five workers thought it would be a good way to reduce workplace stress. One in three thought it would make them more productive all day long. --Nearly three in four workers said they'd never had a recess break at work. (--Where do the other one in four work?) --Despite the fact that 53% thought it was a good idea, only 44% of workers say they'd actually TAKE RECESS if their company offered it. --Women and young employees were most likely to say they'd take a recess. (Market Watch)


90% of People Refuse to Reveal How Much Money They Make:

It turns out that even in the modern era of over-sharing EVERYTHING, there's still ONE secret left. We REALLY don't want to tell people how much money we make. --In a new survey, 90% of people say they REFUSE to discuss their salary with anyone except maybe their spouses or parents. --Only 7% of people are comfortable sharing their salary details with other people. And 2% of people say they'll discuss salary . . . but they'll LIE about how much they make. (--The other 1% didn't answer or didn't have an opinion.) (TruthDive)


You're Carrying Enough Bacteria In Your Body to Fill Up a Soup Can . . . And a New Site Can Match You With Someone Who Has Similar Bacteria:

Well this is disgusting. According to the National Institute of Health, the average human is carrying around THREE to FIVE POUNDS of BACTERIA in and on their body at all times. --Bacteria accounts for about 1% to 2% of your body mass . . . but makes up HALF of what you let out into the toilet. --One more thing. There's a new nonprofit called MyMicrobes that is testing samples from volunteers to figure out the exact makeup of their bacteria . . . and then connecting them to people who have similar bacteria. --In other words, it could be like a social network or even a DATING SITE where you meet people based on your bacteria. --But it's really expensive to sign up and have them test you . . . at about $2,100 because of the cost of the test . . . so you're only going to meet people who are REALLY devoted to examining their personal bacteria. (PopSci) (--You can check it out at My.Microbes.eu.)


Is the Tattoo Boom Finally Over?

For about the past 10 or 15 years, we've almost gone TOO FAR with the tattoo explosion. Which kinda hurts their impact. Like . . . how can tattoos be rebellious if EVERYONE is covered in them? --Anyway . . . it looks like the tattoo boom might be coming to an end. --According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the number of tattoo parlors in the U.S. has dropped 10% since 2008. That's the first significant drop in two decades. --They didn't release exact numbers on tattoo removal . . . but they say that laser removal treatments are skyrocketing. --In 1990, less than 10% of Americans had tattoos. That made an ENORMOUS jump by 2003, when it was up to 16%. Now it's down to about 14%. (The Australian)

Miami is Named the Least Educated City in America:

When everyone in your city is tan and good-looking, the weather is great, AND WILL SMITH once wrote a song about it . . . who needs to know spelling, how a bill becomes a law, or basic algebra? --"Men's Health" magazine just released a list ranking 100 cities in the U.S. by their education level. And Miami, Florida, came in DEAD LAST . . . as the least-educated city in the country. --The rankings are based on the Department of Education's high school graduation rates, Census numbers on school enrollment, the number of people with bachelor's and graduate degrees, and the number of people in adult education courses. --Miami was just below Cleveland, Ohio. --The full bottom 10 is: Miami . . . Cleveland . . . Las Vegas . . . Stockton, California . . . Detroit . . . Fresno, California . . . Laredo, Texas . . . Norfolk, Virginia . . . Newark, New Jersey . . . and Toledo, Ohio. --Madison, Wisconsin finished in first place. It's followed by Plano, Texas . . . Raleigh, North Carolina . . . Burlington, Vermont . . . Seattle . . . San Diego . . . Honolulu . . . Fargo, North Dakota . . . Portland, Maine . . . and Lincoln, Nebraska. (Men's Health) (--You can see the full list of 100 here.)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

Two Women are Arrested for Stealing Art . . . Off the Walls of an Arby's?

This just might be the lamest ART HEIST in history. --It happened back during Labor Day weekend but just made the news now. In Johnson City, Tennessee, two middle-aged women were arrested for stealing art . . . off the walls of an ARBY'S. --I didn't even know they HAD art on the walls of Arby's . . . but I'd guess it's just that generic, mass-produced stuff that's meant to blend into the background so you subconsciously feel a little classy as you gorge on roast beef. --Anyway, on September 3rd, 45-year-old Connie Sumlin and 58-year-old Gail Johnson, both of Erwin, Tennessee, went to an Arby's in Johnson City . . . and yanked a piece of art off the wall. --The police didn't describe the piece of art they took, but apparently it wasn't that cheap . . . because when they were arrested, they were both charged with theft of over $500. (Johnson City Press)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


Check out the cities where young professionals are the happiest. Redmond, Washington . . . the home of Microsoft . . . is number one. Fort Lauderdale and Orlando are two and three. (Full Story)


Want a solid gold cell phone? It'll set you back $60,000. (Full Story)


A Toys 'R' Us manager in England stole $6 MILLION . . . so he could afford his $31,000-a-week prostitute. The courts seem more upset over the amount he paid her than the prostitution itself. (Full Story)


A woman in Florida called 911 because her husband was super drunk . . . and trying to pull out one of his teeth with a pair of pliers. (Full Story)


It's illegal to get married to a 14-year-old in Brazil, but their most recent census found that close to 43,000 14-year-olds are currently married. Most didn't know it was against the law. (Full Story)


A Muslim man got a burger to-go from a Houston restaurant on Sunday . . . and they drew a picture of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center with the message "Happy September 11." He got a refund, and the restaurant owner fired the employee. (Full Story)


Authorities found a missing autistic boy . . . by playing an Ozzy Osbourne song. The 8-year-old ran away from school and hid in a nearby forest, but his parents told rescuers he always sang along to Ozzy. They blared it over loudspeakers, he sang, and they found him. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) A Morning TV Host Interviewed Kim and Kourtney Kardashian . . . Then Started Mocking Them as Soon As It Was Over:

A morning TV host in Philadelphia named Mike Jerrick got to interview KIM and KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN via satellite the other day. Then as soon as the interview was over, he started MOCKING THEM. --First he asked if they could still hear him. And when his co-host said no, Jerrick talked in a high-pitched voice, and made fun of the pointy shoulders on the jackets they were wearing. --Which sucks for them, because they were originally on to talk about their fashion line, The Kardashian Kollection. (--Search for "News Anchor Mocks Kardashians." The interview ends at :18.)


#2.) A Baby in Cambodia Was Separated from His Mother . . . So He Started Nursing on a Cow:

After a storm destroyed a family's home in Cambodia, the parents left their 18-month-old son with his grandfather, and went to find work in Thailand. And apparently the kid started getting sick because his grandfather didn't know what he was doing. --So the kid figured it out for himself . . . and started suckling directly from the family COW. He's been drinking the cow's milk every day since July, and he's in perfect health. But the grandfather is trying to wean him off it now. (--Search for "Cambodian Toddler Drinks Milk from a Cow.")

#3.) And Now . . . A Cute Little Girl in a Bathing Suit Says Something Surprising:

The other day, someone discovered a YouTube video from 2007, and now it's all over the Internet. Nothing happens, other than a little kid chewing on the rubber strap of his swimming goggles. --But then the camera pans to a cute little girl in a swimsuit who . . . out of nowhere . . . looks in the camera and says, "I'm pooping." (--Search YouTube for "I'm Pooping Mary and Seany Boy." She says it at :17.)

#4.) This Sounds Like a Disney Movie: A Dog and a Tiger Have Been Best Friends Since They Were Babies!

There's a new video online of a dog playing and roughhousing with a cat. And when I say "cat," I mean a FULL-GROWN TIGER. According to the video post, they've been around each other since they were both nine weeks old, and now they're inseparable. --And it's amazing, because the tiger acts like a half-dog, half-cat . . . and doesn't even do anything when the dog starts biting its ears. (--Search for "Tiger: Beware of Dog." They really get going when the dog starts biting the tiger's ear at 1:00.)


Five Tips on Using the Bathroom at Work:

If you work in an office, you know that using the office bathroom can be awkward. Especially if you need to do something SERIOUS. -So Gawker.com has a list of tips and rules for bathroom etiquette at work. And if you find the whole experience uncomfortable, a few of these might help.

#1.) Know Your Options. Sometimes the closest bathroom isn't the RIGHT bathroom. For example, if you had INDIAN food last night, avoid the one EVERYONE uses, and use the one down the hall . . . or on a different floor. --Gawker suggests doing a little research and finding a good bathroom OUTSIDE the office too . . . like one at a nearby Starbucks or McDonald's . . . for when you REALLY need to be anonymous.

#2.) Don't Bring a Book. It makes you look like a slacker who hangs out in the bathroom and avoids work all day. Plus, it grosses out your co-workers when you bring it back and put it on your desk. --A newspaper is more socially acceptable. Just don't leave it on the ground for someone else to throw away. --And if you play games on your cell phone while you're sitting there, put it in your pocket BEFORE you finish up . . . for sanitary reasons.

#3.) No Talking. Even if you walk in with someone, the conversation should end as soon as you enter the stall. You won't be able to tell if someone else walks in. Plus, it's just unprofessional.

#4.) Make Sure You Destroy the Evidence. Don't just flush and walk out. Make sure the bowl looks clean. If it doesn't, and there's no toilet brush, flush one or two more times.

#5.) Deny Any Wrongdoing. If you stink the place up, then run into your boss on the way out . . . DON'T own up to what you did. You're better off denying it. --And the same rule applies if you clog the toilet. Go tell maintenance, or whoever needs to know. But make sure you tell them "SOMEONE" clogged the toilet. Not you. (Gawker.com)